SWDnovel Chapter 7 Finding a Place to Live
Chapter 7 Finding a Place to Live
Looking at the dazzling array of supplies before him—a cardboard box crammed full of snacks, two heavy bottles of cola, a life-saving amoxicillin, and even a clean set of bedding—Xu Mo took a deep breath. An indescribable sense of exhilaration washed over him like a warm current.
This feeling was completely different from the relief I felt when I luckily found some food. It was a confidence stemming from my own abilities and a sense of control.
"I can survive..."
The thought clearly surfaced in my mind, no longer a self-comforting thought born of despair, but a calm judgment based on reality.
This door, connecting him to the ordinary world of the past, is his greatest asset in this apocalypse. If used properly, he can obtain food, medicine, tools... everything he needs to survive!
This intense sense of exhilaration dispelled the gloom of the past few days, even giving Xu Mo an urge to shout out loud. But he quickly restrained himself, clenching his fists tightly until his knuckles turned slightly white, while the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned upwards, revealing a smile that was a mixture of exhaustion and hope.
Gather all the supplies in the driest corner of the room and cover them up with something. Although there seem to be no more zombies in the town, caution is still necessary.
After doing all that, Xu Mo's gaze fell on the broken sofa that consisted only of springs and a wooden frame.
Before, there was no other way but to tough it out, but now...
Picking up the scavenged bedding, the sheets were ordinary light blue plaid, and the duvet cover was plain off-white, still carrying a faint, fresh scent of sunshine, completely out of place in this dusty, post-apocalyptic room.
Xu Mo carefully laid out the bedding on the sofa. Although the process was a bit chaotic, when a soft and clean-looking "bed" appeared before him, an indescribable sense of satisfaction and the beginnings of a "home" welled up within him.
This is not a simple prelude; it is a declaration, a declaration that Xu Mo intends to "live" here seriously, not just "survive."
He lay down, his body sinking into the long-lost softness. Although the "bed board" underneath was still uncomfortable, it was a world of difference compared to the cold, hard ground or the bare wooden frame.
Xu Mo sighed with satisfaction, his tense nerves finally relaxing like never before.
……
In the afternoon, like a precise timekeeping, that familiar burning sensation once again spread from the depths of my body.
Xu Mo knew that the effects of the fever reducer had worn off.
This time, however, he did not panic. Instead, he calmly felt his body temperature rise and even carefully noticed the difference from before.
The heat remained, but it lacked the intense, domineering intensity that seemed to burn away one's brain and extinguish one's consciousness. The headache became tolerable, and while the soreness in the joints persisted, it was no longer accompanied by that extreme weakness that made one want to collapse to the ground. The dryness and itchiness in the throat were also much milder.
"As expected, the peak period has passed."
Xu Mo calmly assessed the situation. His body was relying on its own immune system to gradually clear the virus and build up a defense. He had already seen the dawn of victory in this war against the disease. What was needed now was not to rely on drugs to forcibly suppress it again (that would waste precious pills), but to provide his body with enough "ammunition" and "logistics" to complete this final cleanup.
Of course, if the temperature rises again to a dangerous level, Xu Mo will still take the few remaining medications without hesitation.
Xu Mo took out a vacuum-packed bag of braised beef and a small bag of nuts from the cardboard box, then opened the large bottle of cola he had drunk from and carefully took a sip. The cool sweetness exploded in his mouth, bringing a brief moment of comfort.
Xu Mo slowly ate the beef and nuts, feeling the high protein and fat being converted into energy in his body, and feeling the sugar replenishing the low blood sugar that might have been caused by the fever. He no longer ate just to fill his stomach as before, but like a shrewd commander, he planned to allocate the most needed supplies to his body.
After finishing his meal, Xu Mo felt a wave of fatigue wash over him, a signal that his body was concentrating its energy on repair. He didn't resist, lying back down on the "bed" covered with sheets and pulling the thin blanket over himself.
The soft fabric of the duvet cover clung to his skin, offering a strange sense of comfort. Sunlight streamed through the window, casting warm dappled patterns on the floor. In the corner lay enough supplies to sustain him for several days.
The discomfort from the high fever persisted, but Xu Mo felt a sense of calm, even a hint of certainty. He closed his eyes, no longer anxious about the zombies' unusual movements, nor afraid of the uncertainty of the future.
What he needs to do now is eat, sleep, and recover. He needs to conserve every bit of strength to make the most thorough preparations for the upcoming migration.
The body's repair proceeds in silence, while hope, like the tangible supplies in the corner, becomes within reach.
In the middle of the night, Xu Mo woke up with a dry throat.
He touched his forehead; it was still noticeably warm. Although it was much better than at its worst, the persistent low-grade fever was still draining his strength and energy, preventing him from getting any real, deep rest.
Xu Mo lay quietly for a few minutes, feeling the restless fire within his body. He knew that without intervention, he would likely spend the rest of the night in a cycle of light sleep and nightmares, waking up exhausted the next day. At this stage, maintaining a clear mind and ample energy was just as important as preserving physical strength.
"We can't keep pushing ourselves; we must maintain our condition during the day."
In the darkness, Xu Mo groped for the precious pack of ibuprofen in his pocket, and by the faint starlight, he took out one pill and swallowed it with water. The pill slid down his esophagus, carrying a rational compromise—it was worth the price of one pill for a few hours of restful sleep and a good state of mind tomorrow.
While waiting for the medicine to take effect, Xu Mo tiptoed to the window.
The night sky remained clear, the Milky Way vast, and its cool light spilled over the desolate town, outlining the ruins and abandoned vehicles with blurry, distorted silhouettes. Visibility was much worse than during the day; distant objects were almost completely obscured by darkness, and only the general shape of the nearby streets could be discerned.
He held his breath, his eyes carefully scanning every area he could see: the empty intersection, the open shop doors, the twisted railings...
No.
There was nothing moving.
There were no stumbling figures, no eerie dragging footsteps, no growls. The entire town seemed to have truly become a vast, abandoned tomb, and even the eerie westward journey of the previous night had not returned.
The utter silence didn't bring him peace; instead, it weighed heavily on his heart like a boulder. Where had all the zombies gone? What power had summoned them? Would they return?
The unknown is often more frightening than the known.
The medicine began to take effect slowly, a familiar coolness spreading through his body, dispelling some of the heat and bringing a deep sleep. Xu Mo glanced one last time at the unsettling silence outside the window, retreated to the sofa, and lay down again.
This time, with the help of medication, he quickly fell into a deep sleep, and the nightmare did not return.